In my position, I support front-line professors in developing and implementing an outcome-based approach to student learning in my university, and have opportunities to observe issues associated with learning outcomes in real practice. I would like to share some of these observations, specifically on the common mismatches between subject learning outcomes and intended programme learning outcomes. It is common that programme documents include an array of desired learning outcomes for university graduates covering academic/professional knowledge and skills and also the essential generic abilities for the rapidly changing world -- giving an impression that the issue of 'What to teach' is being well addressed. A close look at the subject level learning outcomes and the teaching in the classrooms, nevertheless, reveals major mismatches with the intended programme outcomes. Such mismatches suggest that 'what to teach' is not a shared understanding among front-line teachers and in effect cause failure in achieving the programme outcomes. My presentation will give an analysis of the common mismatches, the problems associated with them and also my experience of working with front line university teachers to address these mismatches. I will give special attention to the issue of integrating the development of generic skills into an academic programme.
In my position, I support front-line professors in developing and implementing an outcome-based approach to student learning in my university, and have opportunities to observe issues associated with learning outcomes in real practice. I would like to share some of these observations, specifically on the common mismatches between subject learning outcomes and intended programme learning outcomes. It is common that programme documents include an array of desired learning outcomes for university graduates covering academic/professional knowledge and skills and also the essential generic abilities for the rapidly changing world -- giving an impression that the issue of 'What to teach' is being well addressed. A close look at the subject level learning outcomes and the teaching in the classrooms, nevertheless, reveals major mismatches with the intended programme outcomes. Such mismatches suggest that 'what to teach' is not a shared understanding among front-line teachers and in effect cause failure in achieving the programme outcomes. My presentation will give an analysis of the common mismatches, the problems associated with them and also my experience of working with front line university teachers to address these mismatches. I will give special attention to the issue of integrating the development of generic skills into an academic programme.